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Mike O’Halloran looks back on the weekend’s hurling action and what it could mean for the rest of the Kerry Senior Hurling Championship…
IN round one of the Garvey’s SuperValu Kerry Senior Hurling Championship, Ballyduff pulled off a draw (1-20 each) against Crotta when it looked like Crotta were going to have a runaway victory.
I thought that the games were to finish on the day with extra time and 65s, can anybody enlighten me if this was the plan?
In the other game on Sunday, Kilmoyley were at the receiving end of a rampant Causeway, 0-20 t0 0-11.
Everybody (including myself) have been saying for the past few years that Causeway will win the championship and after yesterday’s display they must be in the mix to at least to reach the final, if they can avoid Lixnaw who were also convincing winners over Ballyheigue with nine different scorers and Michael Conway still to return from injury.
Continued below…
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The tough drawn game with Crotta will stand to Ballyduff and they can’t be ruled out later in the competition and they can build from todays scare.
Abbeydorney were pipped on Saturday evening by a St Brendans team who looked at sixes and sevens for large parts of the game until they introduced Kieran Fitzgearld and Seamus O’Halloran, Seamus scored three points and Kieran was very influential at the edge of the square.
Abbeydorney must be scratching their heads as to how they let the lead slip, they were guilty of poor shooting coming down the stretch but they haven’t gone away either.
If Crotta can defeat Ballyduff in the replay that will give them real confidence to progress, perhaps to the final, utilising their pool of young talent from minor success.
People will say that Ballyheigue will probably struggle in the next round as they rebuild for the future and await the produce from their great work at underage.
But you never know what might happen with Diarmuid Walsh due to return for the next game, maybe they might gain a scalp of an over confident opposition.
There is great credit due to them they remain resilient in spite of the challenges they are facing these days.
Kilmoyley will have to regroup for the losers round, but their task is made more difficult with the loss of Paudie O’Connor, Paudie had just returned from injury and carried a lot of hope on his shoulders.
I’m pretty sure yesterday’s loss will focus their minds on preparation for the next round. Still all to play for.
